Monthly Archives: October 2016

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Vivino’spopular guide to decide which wines to pair with Halloween candy has been updated this year — what a fun initiative. And c’mon, who hasn’t thought about a glass of wine while handing out treats or going to a Halloween party?

According to Vivino: “The most important things in a Halloween Survival Kit for adults are wine, candy, and more wine.”

In this year’s “Halloween Candy and Wine Match Maker” list, there are tasting notes on pairings, too, for those who want to “really nerd out.”

For example, this is from the notes about the pairing of Whoppers and Cabernet Sauvignon: “The huge malty character of whoppers needs a wine with backbone and depth to keep from being overpowered by the malt and chocolate.”

For Hershey Kisses and Zinfandel: “The best wine contrasts creamy milk chocolate with ripe berry flavors. America’s sweetheart, Zinfandel, turns every bite into a raspberry cordial on the palate.”

These notes are just a taste (pun intended) of the fun pairings you can find in the guide. Have a look before, during and after Halloween!

Yes, we are major fans of Vivino, and back in February, recommended downloading the free Vivino Wine App. We use Vivino to help us find details about wines before we purchase them — either online, from a retail outlet or in a restaurant. We also use the premium feature to organize our wine cellar. Love it!

We’ve been fans of Hard Row to Hoe for years, and we finally made it to their intriguing tasting room in Lake Chelan Valley last month. Co-owner and winemaker Judy Phelps poured us tastes of many of her winning wines and shared some stories behind their names. First, the name of the winery itself has two meanings — one obviously related to vineyard management; the other is racy!

Back in the late 1930s, construction was winding down at the Grand Coulee Dam, and the area’s “professional ladies” decided to travel to the then-remote Lake Chelan, where a new mine had just opened near the town of Lucerne. The ladies moved into the Edgemont Lodge, located a few miles uplake from Lucerne at Point Lovely. Their goal: to take care of the miners. Yes, the lodge became a brothel.

As the story continues, a long-time resident, an entrepreneur some might think, ran a rowboat taxi service from Lucerne to Point Lovely to transport the miners to and from the brothel, in support of the soon-thriving enterprise at Edgemont Lodge. Eventually the miners’ wives decided to retaliate by burning down the brothel.

Fast forward to present times, and the decor in Hard Row to Hoe’s tasting room reflects the theme: an actual bed from the brothel, feather boas, pink panties and — well, let’s just use the word intriguing again – intriguing wall paper. The names of wines also contribute: Burning Desire, Shameless Hussy, Seduction, Good in Bed and S&M (Syrah and Malbec).

In addition to the names, the stories are also illustrated by little caricatures drawn on the wine bottles — one depicts the miners in the rowboat taxi, heading to the brothel. Others show the brothel beds or the building itself, with the shutters up when the brothel was open for business, or the shutters down when the miners were visiting. For example, Hard Row to Hoe’s stellar Cabernet Franc, Burning Desire, has a drawing (right) of the wives carrying torches in the rowboat taxi en route to burn down the Edgemont Lodge.

So let’s take a look at the Burning Desire, along with some of the other wines we tasted.

2014 Hard Row to Hoe Burning Desire Estate Cabernet Franc ($45)
This big juicy wine has made our list of favorite Cab Francs for years, and this vintage is no exception. Tasting notes: “Showing great purity of fruit with a long, vibrant finish. It is loaded with dark cherry and plum flavors with a complex aroma of herbs, spices and violets. Well-balanced, with richness, good acidity and a judicious use of new oak.”

2014 Hard Row to Hoe Barbera ($40)
The Barbera grapes come from a single vineyard in Oroville near the Canadian border. We plan on pairing this wine with Dave’s famous spaghetti or maybe Margot’s beef stew. Tasting notes: “Offering flavors of cranberry, dried red currant, allspice and anise, the palate showcases the freshness and purity of this varietal, with pure cherry and dark berry flavors, alongside an earthiness of spiceand leather.”

2014 Hard Row to Hoe Primitivo ($49)
Oh do we love this wine – robust and beautiful with flair. Tasting notes: “Bold and delicious; filled with plum and cherry flavors. Aged in mostly neutral barrels so as not to overwhelm the fruit flavors with oak, this wine is incredibly food friendly and supple. It has an exotic spice finish that goes on forever.”

These were our favorites in Hard Row’s extensive lineup, and the ones we brought home to our cellar. All of these wines will drink well through 2020 or longer.

We highly recommend a visit to the winery tasting room if you are even remotely close to Lake Chelan. If not, you can purchase these wines at some wine shops or at the winery’s website.

The event is also a fundraiser; proceeds will support two local non-profits: Lydia Place and DVSAS.

Here are the wineries — including some of our Washington favorites — that will be pouring, followed by the restaurants serving delicious bites. Of note, if you find a wine that’s a real palate pleaser, you can purchase it at a 20% discount right on site.

One of our biggest surprises on a recent trip to Lake Chelan was Tildio Winery. How did we miss these wines in the past? They are incredible.

Owners Katy and Milum Perry started planting Tildio’s vineyard in Lake Chelan in 2002; their tasting room opened three years later. Katy is the winemaker, with a history of working for such greats as Robert Mondavi, Stags Leap and Chateau Ste. Michelle. The result — a family-owned vineyard and boutique winery, offering some of the most elegant, beautiful wines in Lake Chelan Valley. Tildio Winery is a gem!

Our friend Cheryl, whom we met in Woodinville around the time we started this blog in 2007, is the hospitality director and sales manager. We spent a delightful afternoon with her in early September, tasting through the lineup, snacking on delicious cheeses and cured meats, and enjoying the view of Roses Lake.

We arrived at Tildio winery to catch up with Cheryl. We left with a new love of Tildio wines. Here are just some of our favorites.

Tildio Reserve Cabernet Franc 2012 ($35)
What a beauty! Suffice it to say we took some home with us. This is one big, bold, earthy Cab Franc with aromas of spice and cocoa and deep dark fruit on the finish.

Tildio Malbec 2011 ($38)
Inky in color, this wine shows flavors of blueberry, blackberry and hazelnut combining into one glorious mouthfeel. Words that came to mind when tasting this wine: lush, luxe, delicious, more please!

Tildio The Phoenix 2012 ($35)
This is a unique blend of 67% Cab Franc and 33% Malbec — no surprise that it’s now in our cellar. It has the WOW factor and then some! The wine is dedicated to “the firefighters who fought the destructive wildfires of 2014 and the people who are rising from the ashes of their burned homes,” including some of Milum’s family.

Tildio The Hermit 2012 ($35)
A softer blend of 50% Syrah and 50% Grenache, this wine would pair well with spicy foods, spaghetti and meatballs, or with cheeses and cured meats like we enjoyed on the deck.

If you are heading to Lake Chelan Valley, make sure to stop by Tildio and taste their wines. You will be very glad you made the trip.